Nathan l



June 2, 1931.

rN. L. uRELEs LIGHTING FIXTUR-= Filed Dec.

Patented June 2, 1931 NATHAN I.. UnELEs, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

LIGHTING FIXTURE Application mea December 3, 1927. serial No. 237,350. l

present invention relates to lightingrv fixtures and more especially to the mounting hickey for attaching such fixtures f against the ceiling, wall or floor. 1

5 It is among the objects of the invention4 otherwise disfiguring the same 'or' rendering the same nnsymmetrical.

Another object is to provide a fixture attaching device of the above type, universal in its applicability to outletboxes, canopies or pane s of various heights or depths, Without the need for special adjusting operations or attachment parts.

Another object is to provide a hickey of the above ltype, which does not interfere `with the wiring of the fixture, and While securely locked in posit-ion for firm attachment of the canopy, panel 4or base, can lyet be conveniently removed after use and reappliedfor the same or for another fixture.

Another object .is to provide a` construetion of the above type which is simple in the'constructionfand assembly of its constituent parts, and which ma' be embodied in various applications Wit or without switches of various types.

According yto the invention, I employ a self-locking collaspible fixture support which may be a hickey including a base or stud section adapted to be mounted to the stud or other part of the outlet box and an outer or head section, against which the canopy, panel, base or other piece is clamped. The various elements making up the hickey are interfitted to permit collapse to any degree, and to automatically resist extension thereof. The support structure being mounted in the outlet box, and extended to its utmost, the mere application of the canopy, panel or base will cause correspending collapse of the support for adaptation to the combined depth of the outlet box and the canopy, panel or base, whereupon the assembly is completed by applying a nut; or

other screw threaded part to clamp such canopy or equivalent part in position.

Inasmuch as the various types of outlet box and canopies and panels present Wide variations in depth, corresponding variations in the settmg of a universal hickey or mount, must be permitted, so that the hiekey in full extended state is considerably longer t an in fully collapsed state. To this end, I prefer to form a hickey of two or more sections interfitting for collapse and extension thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. l is a View in longitudinal crosssection showing a preferred fixture installed,

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along the 70 line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective View ofa preferred lform of hickey mount in collapsed condition,

Fig. 4 is a dropped perspective view illustrating the constituent elements of the fitting, and,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail of a modification.

Referring now to ille drawings, I have shown a compound hickey, illustrativcly for a pendent lighting fixture. The hickey comprises a plurality,4 in this case illustratvely three interfitting sections, A, B and C. The innermost of these sections A, which I call the stud section has illustratively an iu- 35 turnedv threaded socket v10 for attachment von the stud ll'of an outlet box 12. The

outer or canopy section C preferably iucludes the integral cross piece 13, through which is secured a nipple 14 for attach- 90 ment of the panel or canopy 15. `While the nipple -may be formed integral with the-head section 'of the hickey, I have shown said nipple attached by a pair of nuts 16 and 17 threaded thereon and clamped against g5 opposite faces of the head 13.

The sections A, B and C of the compound hickey are preferably in telescoped relation and are shown embodied as yokes, the stud section A having a pair of upstanding lateral yoke arms 18 and19 encircled by the preferably rectangular open base frame 20 of the intermediate section B which has upstanding yoke arms 21 and 22 flanged over at 23 to form guides or tracks for the sliding movement thereof relative to the respective arms 18 and 19 of the stud section. Similarly the head section C has integral downwardly extending lateral yoke arms 24 and 25 with lateral flanges 26 to form tracks or guides for the flanges 23 of the intermediate section B. The arms of the respective yoke sections are preferably of substantially equal length, so that in fully collapsed condition as in Fig. 3, the hickey is of length little greater than that of one of the yoke arms while in fully extended position, the length of the hickey is nearly three times the length of an individual yoke.

I may employ a pawl and ratchet connection between successive yoke sections of the hickey. Illustratively, the head section has a pawl, preferably a spring arm 27, welded or soldered at its base end for coaction with ratchet teeth 29 in the corresponding arm 22 of the intermediate yoke piece B. In a preferred construction, the ratchet teeth 29 are struck out of the metal of the yoke arm, entirely between the sides thereof. Illustratively, the ratchet presents a herring bone shaped aperture presenting integral teeth 29 extend-ing inward from opposite sides of an otherwise rectangular aperture 30. The teeth 29 present square edges 31 above (in Fig. 1) and oblique edges 32 below, so that the pawl will overrun the ratchet when thel yoke pieces are pressed togetherl and the square edges 31 of the ratchet teeth 29 will resist and prevent extension or separation of the yoke ieces, since the squared end of the pawl toot cannot be pulled therepast.

I provide a second spring pawl 35 on the right arm of the intermediate section B, coacting with a ratchet construction 36 on the corresponding arm of the stud section A, and identical with the ratchet of the interi mediate sect-ion B.

The opposite arm 19 of the stud yoke is preferably longitudinally bifurcated to afford a channel 37 through which extends pawl tooth 28 to engage the ratchet 31, even when the stud yoke is telescoped inward into the intermediate yoke, as in Fig. 3. As shown, the arms 19 and22 of the stud and intermediate yokes respectively, extend between the oke arm 25 and-its pawl arm 27. Preferab y, each of the pawl arms has rigidly atixed near the tooth end thereof a push button 38 on the outer end of a pin 39 affixed thereto and protruding from the vcorresponding yokearrn. Yoke piece A has inturned teeth 40 at the extremity of the ratchet 36 thereof, against which the tooth of the pawl 35 abuts in extreme extended'.

position. Yoke ratchet 30 has similar teeth 41, similarly arresting the tooth of pawl arm 27. Yoke piece B has a tooth 43 atthe end of its flange tracks 23 and arm 24 of the outer yoke piece has a similar tooth 44. The teeth 43 and 44 extend at right angles to each other and thus effectively limit the separation of yoke pieces B and C. The inturned tongues of the pawl arms 27 and 35 are of length such relative to those of push button shanks 39, that the pawl teeth will not clear the latter, even when the push buttons or either of them are depressed to the utmost, so that the yoke pieces will not become dis-assembled; l

In the construction set forth, the compound hickey may be freely collapsed by mere thrust thereon, to the fully collapsed condition shown in Fig. 3, or it may be collapsed to any desired intermediate setting. Regardless of the sett-ing of the compound hickey, it cannot be extended by mere pull or tension thereon, but to this end, it 1s necessary, to maintain the push buttons 38 depressed for disengaging the corresponding pawl with the ratchet, while drawing the yoke elements apart.

With the various type of canopies, panels or bases of lighting fixtures now in vogue, the three-section compound hickey atfords the range of length required to. accommodate any installation from the shallowest canopy on the shallowest outlet box to the deepest canopy on the deepest outlet box. Obviously, however, the concept of my invention may be carried forward, if necessary, to provide a compound hickey of four or more relatively telescoped sections. On the other hand, if desired, the hickey can be made in but two sections, a stud and a head section,

directly connected by a pawl and ratchet or equivalent connection, which construction would accommodate a practical range of installations, in fact, would be suitable in all but the more extreme cases.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a preferred application of my hickey to a pendent ceiling fixture. The compound hickey is mounted in place by threading the studsection 10 to the outlet box stud 11. The electric conductors passed through bushing 51, are drawn from in back of the hickey through the nipple 14, as usual. The hickey being preferably in fully extended lposition, canopy l5 is applied thereover with the nipple 14 at the end of the hickey projecting therethrough. Thereupon the loop piece 52 is simply threaded at its nut end upon the rotruding nipple end 14 and pushed inwar whereby the compound hickey. will automatically collapse, the pawl teeth overriding the ratchet teeth, until the screw collar 53 upon the loop 52 engages the inner edge of the canopy. The loop being preferably held with one stud 11.

hand, the screw collar 453 is then simply 'tightened a aiiist the canopy until the latsecurely locked to prevent extension of thev compound hicke By my invention it will thus be seen that the application of the` canopy is accomplished 4with the utmost facility. No hickeys of special size need be kept in stock, no'r'need the universal hickey be adjusted or specially set by distinct preliminary operations, or adjustments or by the use of adapters, nor are successive approximations by trial and error necessary, nor groping to locate concealed screw holes. The complete installation of the fixture is accomplished in but a few seconds. The installed construction present no protruding screws or holes than tend to disfigure .the canopy. The application, fere in any way or render it more difiicult to wire the fixture. The liickey is so strong as to sustain the weight of even the heaviest lighting fixture.

Disassembly accomplished with the same facility as installation. For this purpose, the ring 53 of the loop is merely unscrewed, whereupon the canopy can be removed and the compound hickey unscrewed from the With the hickey thus removed, it can be re-extended by pulling, while depressing finger piece 38. The hickey can then be re-applied to the same or to other fixtures in the manner above described.

`In Fig. 5 is shown the mode of application to an outlet box, devoid of the usual stud. In this case, the outletvbox 12 is'provided with a cross-bar 60 having a unitary upstanding threaded nipple 61 on which is threaded the socket end 63 of the stud section 62 of a compound hickey. The rest of the construction may be substantially identical `With that of the otherembodiment hereinabove more fully described.

It is obvious that other constructions may be substituted for the specific pawl and ratchet connections disclosed. i

While I refer to embody the hickey, in the form of) the multiple yoke construction substantially as shown, and may use pawl and ratchet connections between the successive elements substantially as shown, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to such specific constructions, and is of scope to embrace constructions that embody one-arm instead of two-arm yoke brackets, or pieces of other type, with other than pawl and ratchet connections,-all within the scope of the accompanying claims.

- It will thus be seen that there is herein described apparatus in which the several moreover, does not inter-A features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action, attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited tomeet the requirements of practical f yuse.

As many changes could be made in the i above construction, and manyl apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingr sense.

Having thus li claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is zl. ln a lighting fixture, a compound cxtension fitting, comprising an inner mounting yoke having a part adapted for attachment upon an outlet box, an intermediate yoke having a frame displaceable along the arms of the first yoke and having arms protruding therebeyond, and anoiiter yoke part having arms slidable with respect to the arms of the intermediateI part, and having 'an element for attachment of a fitting panel,

and automatic lock means' resisting relative separation of each of said parts relative to its neighbor and permitting approach of said parts to fully collapsed position.

2. A compound extension mounting fitting for a lighting fixture, comprising an inner described my invention, what.

mounting yoke having a body adapted for attachment upon an outlet box, and having a pair of arms protruding therefrom, an intermediate fitting part comprisinga frame extending about said arms and having a pair of yoke arms therebeyond, and an outer yoke comprising a cross-piece having mounting means for attachment to a panel and a pair of arms slidably guided with respect to the arms of the intermediate piece, and ratchet pawl connections between the respective pieces to automatically lock the saine in any setting thereof, while yielding freely to fin'- ther collapse or contraction thereof.

3. A compound extension support for a lighting fixture, comprising a succession of yoke pieces, each of end dimensions to slidingly engage the exterior of the succeeding one,`the innermost yoke having athreaded base for attachment to an outlet box, the outermost yoke having an integral cross piece for attachment thereto of a panel securing device, the intermediate yoke piece having an open frame base slidably encircling the oke arms of the contiguous yoke piece, andy means limiting the extension of said compound yoke from any intermediate setting thereof.

4. A compound extension support for a lighting fixture comprisingan inner mounting yoke having a body adapted for attachment upon an outlet box, an outer yoke piece izo having flanged yoke arms, an intermediate yoke piece having -ianged yoke arms slidable in those of the outer piece, and an inner yoke piece having arms slidable in those of the intermediate yoke piece, said outer yoke piece having means for mounting a securing element for a fixture panel, said inner yoke having means for attachment to an outlet box, one-Way connections between the respective yoke pieces, to automatically lock the same to limit extension from any setting thereof.

5. A lighting fixture hickey having a stud section with a base adapted to be threaded upon the stud of an'outlet loox,y a head section with a cross bar having a centrally threaded stud, a canopy, and a nut to be threaded upon the nipple for. placing the canopy in position, the successive sections of the compound hickey each comprising a yoke slidable with respect to the succeeding section, and pawl and ratchet connections between the successive yoke sections overrunning in the direction of collapse and locking to resist extension of the hickey.

Signed at Jersey City in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey this 30th day of November, A. D. 1927.

NATHAN L. URELES. 

